Burglar trap



E. E. PAGE BURGLAR TRAP May 10, 1932.-

Filed July 6, 1931 3 5 a 7 0 3 a 2 2 a 222 5 W MH MUWH fifi a M a H m M n 6 u n 00 0U u a x 4 f H J y B Patented May 10, 1932 UNITED STATES EUGENE n. PAGE, or GARY, INDIANA BURGLAR TRAP Application filed July 6, 1931. Serial No. 549,014.

This invention relates to safety devices for banks and more particularly to an apparatus for trapping any one who may attempt to hold up the bank.

. f The main object of the invention is to provide a series of trap doors in the floor of the banking room with a trapunderneath each door and means to open said doors so that the intruder will fall into the traps.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the disclosure progresses.

The drawings are intended to merelyindicate a possible embodiment of the invention. It is obvious that the actual needs of manu- 15.3 facture may necessitate certain mechanical changes. It is therefore not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated but rather to define such limits in the appended claims. I 23 For a more general understanding of the invention attention is now called to the drawings. In these drawings like reference characters denote like parts throughout the specification.

Figure 1 is a floor plan of a banking room.

Figure 2 is an elevation of a portion of the banking room and showing the trapping chamber. I

Figure 3 is a section on line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a wiring diagram.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, numeral 1 designates the banking floor, 2 the main entrance and 3 the main corridor. At both sides of the corridor and at the rear are g5 the tellers cages 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14. In the floor in front of each of the cages are provided a series of doors 15 adapted to swing downwardly into the traps 16 arranged underneath the doors.

Each of traps consists of an enclosed compartment provided with a door 17 and latch 18. At the bottom of the compartment is a movable floor 19 covered with a soft cushion 20. Underneath the floor are a pair of pistons 21 fitting into bushings 22. Between the bushings and the floor are a set of com pression springs 23.

Fastened to the wall 24 of the trap is a bracket 25 to which is pivoted an arm 26 supporting a weight 27. Attached to the end of he arm is a curve-d member 28. 'The end of the curved member passes into the compartment and normally bears against the slidable bolt 29. The end of the said bolt connects to a rod 30 which is fastened to the floor 19.

Thedoor 15 is supported by the hinge 15a and the slidable bolt 31 which'is a part of a solenoid 32. Behind the front wall 33 of the tellers cage is a vertically sliding sheet metal door 34. The'door is held down against the upward push of the compression spring35 by the catch 36whichis a p art of the solenoid 37.

39 for holding the doors '40 against closing.

In each of the tellers cages. are electric switches 41 associated with an electric circuit for operating the traps. 'When any oneof the switches are closed the current from the main conductors 42 and 43 willform a complete circuit which will energize the sole noids 32 and 37. This will cause the bolt 31 of the solenoid 32 and the catch 36 of the sole noid 37 to be pulled in and allow the door 15 to swing down into thetrap and at the same time allow the door 34 in front of the tellers cage to be pushed up by the spring 35. The switch in the tellers cage 8 in addition to operating the doors 15 and 34 also actuate the solenoids, 38 so that the swinging doors at the entrance will be free to close by the action of the spring hinges on which they are mounted. l

The operation of the device is as follows:

To trap an intruder any of the switches in the cage near which the intruder may stand is closed. This will cause the electric current. to actuate the solenoid in circuit with that particular switch and allow the door 34 to I At the main entrance 2 are another i set of SOlBIIOlClS'BS provided with the catches ing his hold up will cause the intruder to fall into the trap compartment 16. Vhen the intruder strikes bot-tom his weight will move the floor 19 downwardly and at the same time pull the bolt 29 in the same direction and release the curved member 28 so that its end 45 will strike the inside of the opening door 15 and close it to its original position flush with the floor of the banking room. Thus the intruder will be trapped until released by someone from the outside opening the door 17. The arm 26 is then moved up again to itsfirst position.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a trap, of a swinging door above said trap, a solenoid for keeping said door in an upward position, a movable floor at the bottom of said trap, a swinging arm on the outside of said trap, a weight supported by said swinging arm, a curved element attached to said arm, the other end of said curved element protruding into the interior of said trap, a bolt for keeping said curved.

element from moving inwardly in'said trap and a rod connecting said movable floor and said bolt.

2'. In a device of the class described, the combination of a trap, of ya swinging door above said trap, a solenoid forkeeping said door in an upward position, a movable floor at the bottom of said trap, a swinging arm on the outside'of said trap, a weight supported by said swinging arm, a curved element attached to said arm, the other end of said curved element protruding into the interior of saidv trap, a bolt for keeping said curved elenientfrom moving inwardly in said trap, a rod connecting said movable floor and said bolt, said movable floor supported on a set of compression springs, a cushion on said floor and a vertically hinged door in one of the Walls of said trap.

In testimony whereof I afiix mysignature.

EUGENE E. PAGE. 

